The impact of multimedia content in optimising the effectiveness of news reporting.
Ngobeni, Lesego
Ngobeni, Lesego
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Abstract
The information and communication technology (ICT) revolution has significantly reshaped digital journalism, mirroring the impact of the printing press. Multimedia journalism, which amalgamates miscellaneous content (images, videos, audio, text, infographics, hypertext, etc.) into a single story, has become a global phenomenon reshaping news reportage. This study employed a Grounded Theory paradigm interspersed with Qualitative Content Analysis to comparatively analyse how SABC News (digital portal) and News24 used multimedia content during the COVID-19 pandemic (April and June 2020) to optimise the efficacy of news reportage. Research results reveal that News24 strategically incorporated diverse multimedia components in its coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic, fostering immersive storytelling and audience engagement. Conversely, SABC News (digital portal) leaned towards text, potentially limiting coverage depth and variety. Albeit varying proficiency levels, both SABC News (digital portal) and News24 leveraged technological advancements for innovative news production. The study demonstrates that multimedia content optimises the efficacy of news reportage by improving accessibility, reach and audience engagement. It also enhances journalistic quality, highlighting the need for newsrooms to adapt to evolving digital technologies. These findings imply that as technology fosters new platforms and reporting methods that augment the quality of news reportage, multimedia content will continue to optimise traditional news practices, blurring the line between conventional and digital realms. This study lays the foundation from which other journalism scholars can test – at a larger scale – the statement of the research problem and related facets, as well as the theoretical framework on which it is premised.
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Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree, Master of Journalism (MDJR18) in the Faculty of Humanities at Tshwane University of South Africa
Date
2024-05-02
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Tshwane University of Technology
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Keywords
Multimedia journalism, Multimedia content, COVID 19, Content Analysis, Media convergence, Digital media, Disruptive innovation, Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR)